Many Australians suffer from addictions, ranging from users of illegal drugs to successful professionals who secretly struggle with sugar addictions. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, you are likely to suffer a range of negative consequences as a result of your addiction, including health concerns, poor impulse control, obsessive thoughts, and disagreements with family and friends who attempt to talk to you about your problem behaviors. In the past, you’ve probably tried to address your addiction through some combination of willpower, behavioral change, and/or medication. However, if you’ve never addressed the underlying cause of your addiction, you’re unlikely to have achieved lasting change.

While many addictions do have physiological components (as, for example, any smoker can tell you), all addictions also have a significant psychological component. People begin to use drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or certain foods in order to address an underlying issue, and before they’re quite sure what’s happening, they find themselves on the path to addiction. You may not be consciously aware of what underlying issues led you into addiction, but uncovering and dealing with them is crucial to living an addiction-free life. Some types of emotional baggage which can cause addictive behaviors to develop include:

* Avoidance of serious life problems, such as an abusive relationship or suffering a significant loss
* Loneliness and feelings of isolation
* Struggles with emotional or physical pain
* Guilt over past actions and choices

If you’re aware of the issue or issues underlying your addictive behavior, congratulations! You’ve already taken the first step towards a positive new life, because identifying the root cause of addiction is crucial to overcoming it. However, if you’re one of the many people who struggle to identify what’s at the heart of your addiction, don’t feel discouraged. The best way to get to the bottom of this issue is to seek professional assistance. A supportive counselor can use a variety of techniques to help you not just identify your emotional baggage but also clear it out entirely. This frees you move towards an addiction free life, unencumbered by subconscious fears, anxieties, and negativity.

If you are looking for a counselor who can help you to identify and resolve the cause of your addiction, call Ilona Nichterlein on 0411 046 175. She is an expert in helping people live a life beyond addiction, and also provides services such as pain management, anxiety management, and hypnotherapy to aid in smoking cessation.